For many pub-goers, there is something sacred about ordering at the bar. The unspoken etiquette of queuing unorderly while desperately trying to get the bartender’s attention may be slow and tedious but it is a tradition Britons are quick to defend.
However one pub landlord is attempting to break the tradition by charging punters an extra 30p on pints ordered at the bar.
Ben Cheshire, who runs The Coronation pub in Southville, Bristol, is so keen for customers to order via their smartphone that he has created a two-tier pricing system whereby some drinks are almost 10pc more expensive for customers who order in-person.
It means a pint of the house lager costs customers £3.50 at the bar – or £3.20 if they order through the QR code. For cask ales, it’s 20p cheaper using a smartphone.
Mr Cheshire dismissed suggestions the practice was discriminatory against older customers and those who find the technology difficult to use. The pub owner said his clientele had become much younger since the Covid pandemic and that the digital service reduced the burden on his staff.
He said: “I lost all my older crowd completely overnight when everything had to go to ‘table service only’ during Covid. I haven’t seen them since. For years I had an older crowd in here, looked after them, had private events for them and things like that, so that’s not the angle I’m trying to go for here.
“This is more helpful for our staff, that’s why I’m offering it. I’ve found that not having to be constantly serving people is way better for my mental health. Bar work can be really mentally tiring. This takes the stress away rather than having to constantly interact with different people for eight hours straight.”
Mr Cheshire’s decision also reflects the economic climate independent pubs are facing. Energy bills and staff costs remain high but the increased cost of drinks passed on to consumers is damaging footfall. Up to 600 pubs are expected to close this year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association, on top of the 530 that closed in 2023.
Mr Cheshire said customers order more when using the online system as they explore the full drinks menu.
Alongside a weekly quiz, the publican has introduced more obscure events to keep younger customers coming in, including a Saturday pottery session and a Dungeons and Dragons night every fortnight where customers come dressed in mediaeval garb to play the fantasy role-playing game in the pub.
“For those events, this is perfect. They can carry on making their clay pots or playing their game without being interrupted and simply order from their smartphone and have their drinks brought to them.”
But despite his best attempts, Mr Cheshire said 90pc of his customers still choose to order at the bar and pay higher prices even though staff often tell customers it’s cheaper to pay from their table.
“I’m a big advocate for European-style service. I think we had a chance to change the culture during the pandemic. I’m sure some places thought it was a good idea, keeping everyone sat down, not standing up but sat at your table where it’s all about the conversation, but in most places it’s gone back to how it was. I think it’s a real shame.”
Despite making “special allowances for the older guys” after Covid when prices were kept the same between bar service and the website, Mr Cheshire is insistent his pricing structure is not discriminatory.
“The people who are more worried about the discounts are the 19-year-old fine art students, they are the ones who really appreciate it. Or the young professionals who are pushing it a bit having a night out in the midweek,” he said.
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